Paper Dolls

When I was a little girl, I used to love to play with paper dolls—you know the kind that came with the perforated cardboard people that you could punch out in the back of the book.  The best paper doll books had perforated clothes too, but in most books, you had to cut out the clothes-–around the miniscule tabs--which was always a challenging task for my little girl hands.  Oh, what a joy it was to see my cardboard schoolgirl go from being plain in her skirt and sweater to being a princess in her gown and shawl!  All of this transformation took place with a simple change of clothes. 

As I was reading Practical Theology for Women today, I came across this quote:

“Jesus Christ—sinless, compassionate, and perfect Son of God—was literally stripped of his garments and hung naked on the cross, while God clothed us—naked, blind, and rotting in our sin—with Christ’s robe of righteousness.”

Jesus took our nakedness and gave us his Righteousness.  He got our sinfulness and clothed us with His Glory.  It seems a tad unequal, don’t ya think?  And a little too easy? (on our part—not His)  Kind of like changing the clothes on my paper doll? 

Mathematically unequal, extravagantly excessive.

But it’s what God chose to save us, to bring us back to Himself.  We repent, He forgives; we give up, He lifts up—and makes us heirs with His Son…adopted, cherished, deeply loved.

Just a simple change of clothes and we go from sinner to saint.

Oh, what a joy!

I delight greatly in the LORD;
   my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
   and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness

Isaiah 61:10